CRIME detection rates in Cambridgeshire Police s Central Division, which includes March, Chatteris, Whittlesey and Wisbech, have risen from 16 per cent at the end of 2004 to 26 per cent at the end of last year. The figures place the division 15th in its g

CRIME detection rates in Cambridgeshire Police's Central Division, which includes March, Chatteris, Whittlesey and Wisbech, have risen from 16 per cent at the end of 2004 to 26 per cent at the end of last year.

The figures place the division 15th in its group of other Basic Command Units with 1,159 more offences detected.

The improvement was particularly marked in violent crime detection where the rate more than doubled from 24.8 per cent to 50.2 per cent within the year (457 more crimes detected).

In fraud and forgery, the rate went up from 18.3 per cent to 59.1 per cent (410 more offences detected).

Meanwhile, total crime fell by 9.6 per cent from 14,335 to 12,960 offences, violent crime by 21.6 per cent (3,139 crimes to 2,462).

The number of arsons also dropped from 204 to 137 in the same period.

Throughout Cambridgeshire, violent crime detection rates have soared, with violent crime up from 23 per cent to 49 per-cent in nine months from April last year, moving the force from 40th to 11th in national performance tables.

Detection rates for vehicle crime have risen from 12 per cent to 14.7 per cent, moving the force from 25th to fifth nationally.

Detection has also improved in domestic burglary, robbery, sexual offences and criminal damage.

Statistics show falls in crime, including a drop of 12.7 per cent under the British Crime Survey comparator crime heading - comparisons with other areas of the country including all but the most serious crimes, such as murder.

The force's performance under that heading saw it record the largest reduction nationally.